A reborn mother longs for her daughter's happiness.

Chapter 23 Befriending Top Students

The day before the new school started, Li Yuan's house was bustling with activity, as if a grand show was about to unfold. Li Shiqing was sitting on the sofa, munching on an apple and watching cartoons, enjoying a very pleasant life.

Seeing her daughter's carefree attitude, Li Yuan was extremely anxious, like an ant on a hot pan. She rushed to Li Shiqing, put her hands on her hips, and said in a deliberately serious tone, "My little darling, do you know that school starts tomorrow? This is no joke. You have to study hard and improve every day. Don't just watch cartoons and eat snacks all day long, or you'll end up selling potatoes in the future."

Li Shiqing blinked her big eyes innocently at Li Yuan, and with an apple still in her mouth, she mumbled, "Mom, what's wrong with selling potatoes? I think potatoes are delicious."

Li Yuan was so angry she almost fainted. Just as she was about to continue lecturing, her parents, who were also Li Shiqing's maternal grandparents, slowly walked over.

Grandma pulled Li Shiqing close and said with a smile, "Oh, my little darling, Grandma knows that going to school is a bit hard, but don't be afraid. When Grandma was little, I had to walk several miles of mountain road to go to school. Unlike you now, you have a car to take you there. Just study hard, and if anyone bullies you at school, just tell Grandma, and Grandma will get my big broom to chase them away for you."

Grandpa chimed in, "Qingqing, studying is important, but health is even more important. Don't be like those bookworms who bury themselves in books all day and end up with little glasses. You should be like Grandpa, exercising more so you can grow tall and strong. If there are any sports competitions at school, be the first one to rush up and win a championship, so everyone can see that the descendants of the Li family are not to be trifled with."

Li Yuan shook her head helplessly, thinking to herself, "What is all this nonsense?"

Just then, Li Yuan's younger brother, Li Shiqing's uncle, burst in. He picked Li Shiqing up, spun her around a few times, making her giggle. Then he said seriously, "Little Qingqing, let me tell you, school is your battlefield. You have to be brave like a little soldier. Homework and exams are your enemies, and you have to defeat them one by one. But if you encounter any difficulties, call your uncle. Your uncle is a math genius; those math problems were a piece of cake for him back in the day. You can't embarrass your uncle, or he won't take you to the amusement park anymore!"

Li Shiqing tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "Uncle, if I defeat all the enemies, will you buy me lots and lots of ice cream?"

Uncle laughed and said, "Of course, as long as you get good grades, I'll buy you not only ice cream, but the whole ice cream shop."

Li Yuan rolled her eyes at her younger brother and said, "Stop stirring things up here, you're just causing trouble."

At this moment, Li Shiqing suddenly broke free from her uncle's embrace, stood in the middle of the living room, and said loudly, "Okay, okay, I know! I will study hard, I want to get lots and lots of awards, and I want to win the sports championship, and then I'll ask my uncle to buy me lots and lots of ice cream. But if I behave this well, you all have to listen to me, okay?"

Everyone was amused by Li Shiqing's mature demeanor. Li Yuan smiled and said, "Okay, as long as you study hard, we'll all listen to you."

On the first day of school at the new school, Li Yuan stood outside the gate of the first-grade school, watching her daughter Li Shiqing skip and hop into the brand-new school, her heart filled with emotion. Time, that mischievous little devil, had slipped away four years in the blink of an eye. Just yesterday, Li Shiqing was a little one crying for her mother in kindergarten, and now she was a little bean sprout in first grade.

The new school gate is so impressive, it seems to be beckoning to the children, saying, "Come on, there are lots of new and interesting things waiting for you here!" The new classrooms are spacious and bright, the new teachers have kind smiles on their faces, and the new students are like a flock of chirping little birds, full of energy.

As Li Yuan was lost in her thoughts, a man with a daughter beside her caught her attention. The man, surnamed Liu Xuan, looked ordinary, with a strong rural air about him. She remembered that he ran a fruit and vegetable shop in the village, barely making ends meet. His elderly mother also suffered from diabetes; the burden on his family was considerable.

However, Liu Xuan held his daughter Liu Yixin, this rare treasure, with eyes full of love. Liu Yixin, in turn, was exceptionally bright; her intelligence was practically written all over her face.

Why was Li Yuan so interested in this father and daughter? Well, there's a big secret here. It turns out that she remembered her past life. Liu Yixin was incredibly successful, always ranking first in her exams, like she had a rocket booster. In the end, she got into a top university, and after graduation, she found a fantastic job as a makeup artist, earning an enviable income. She even brought her father, Liu Xuan, and grandmother to the city, where they lived a comfortable life.

But her daughter, Wang Shiqing, didn't have much interaction with Liu Yixin. In her previous life, Wang Qiang was irresponsible in educating his daughter when she was in school, and she couldn't help Wang Shiqing achieve good grades, ultimately leading her down a path of no return. But in this life, she thought to herself, "If I let my precious daughter become friends with Liu Yixin and follow the academic star, she'll definitely do well in school, which will be good for her as she grows up."

One afternoon after school, Li Yuan seized the opportunity and pulled Li Shiqing to approach Liu Xuan and his daughter.

"Hello, Brother Liu! I'm Li Shiqing's mother. It's such a coincidence that these two girls are in the same class," Li Yuan said with a big smile.

Liu Xuan was a little surprised, but still responded politely: "Haha, yes, Li Shiqing's mother, please take care of me in the future."

Li Yuan quickly chimed in, "Brother Liu, I heard that your Yixin is exceptionally smart and excels in her studies. My daughter Shiqing is a bit mischievous, so I'd like her to learn from Yixin. What do you think?"

Liu Xuan scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, saying, "Oh, kids are all kids, they all have their own characteristics. Yixin just loves reading, nothing special."

At this moment, Liu Yixin blinked her big eyes and looked at Li Shiqing, saying, "Hello, Li Shiqing, we can play together!"

Li Shiqing wasn't shy at all. She took Liu Yixin's hand and said, "Okay, let's go play over there." Watching the two little ones run off hand in hand, Li Yuan and Liu Xuan exchanged a smile.

When Li Yuan got home that evening, she started to talk to Li Shiqing.

"Honey, wasn't Liu Yixin especially nice today?"

"Yes, she knows a lot of stories, it's so much fun," Li Shiqing replied while playing with her toys.

"Then you should spend more time with her in the future and learn from her, so that you can be as smart as her and get lots and lots of points on your exams."

"Why? I don't want to take the exam. Exams aren't fun," Li Shiqing pouted.

Li Yuan patiently explained, "Honey, look how well Liu Yixin studies. She'll be able to do what she likes and go to lots of fun places. If you become friends with her and learn from her, you can do the same. It's like leveling up in a game; if you're with her, you'll level up even faster!"

Li Shiqing nodded as if she understood, "Alright then, I'll level up with Yixin."